THE DECLARATION OF THE High-Sheriffe OF YORK-SHIRE, AND OF The Commander in Chiefe of the PARLIAMENTS Forces in the NORTH, and the reſt of the Gentlemen Commiſſioners in that County of Yorke, the 19. of May 1648. OF Their intentions to riſe for the ſuppreſsion of Sir Marmaduke Langdale, and Sir Philip Musgrave, and the Forces under their Command.
ALSO, A Meſſage from Gen. HALES, to his Excellency the Lord Gen. Fairfax, touching his holding out of Conditions of uncertain mercy to the people, and the Reſolution of the Kentiſh Army, to live and dye, and ſtand and f•ll together.
SƲbſ•ribed in the Name, and by the Appointment of the Knights Gentry, and Inhabitants of the County of Kent.
Imprimatur
LONDON. Printed by Iohn Clowes. MDCXLVIII.
THe Parliament having lately (with much expence of blood and publike Treaſure) reduced the whole Kingdom from the miſeries of a long and dangerous Warre to a hopefull beginning of Peace, and having taken off Free-Quarter, and reduced2 the Forces of the Kingdom to a ſmall Army, which is to be continued only for a ſeaſon, untill the ill humours, ſtirred up by the Warre, ſhould be ſetled again, (the n•ceſſ•ie whereof moſt evidently appears at this time) and being in hand to take off all other burthens and gri•vances of•he people, and to ſettle the Government according to the•ncient Lawes and juſt freedom of this Nation. The ſame Malignant Parti•and Councel that firſt involved the Land in th•la•e Warre, envying that the p•ople ſhould•njoy the bleſſing of Peace, have now again invaded the North with ſome Forces brought in under Command of Sir Marmaduke Langdale, Sir Philip Musgrave, and others, who have already ſeized upon Barwick and Carlile, and have poſſ•ſſed themſelves of all or moſt part of Cumberland and Weſtmerland, raiſing Forces in thoſe parts, in great numbers, and drawing to them from this Gountie, and other parts of England verie great multitudes of P•p•ſts, Malignants, and other perſons of deſperate condition, that were formerly ingaged in the late Warre, againſt the Parliament and Kingdom of England, and are now marched up verie near the Borders of this Countie, which they threaten everie day to invade, and by that means muſt infallibly bring upon all the Inhabitants the ſame or worſe evills than thoſe formerly ſuff•red by the Warre, the bleeding wounds whereof are not yet ſtanched, which we having taken into ſerious conſideration, and well knowing, that, how ſpecious ſoever their pretences are, yet they intend the intraducing of a Tirannicall Government, and the deſtruction3 of the Lawes, Liberties, and Religion of this Kingdom; and that if they be ſuffered to enter into this Countie, they will make it the ſeate of a moſt dangerous and laſti•g Warre, and thereby will undoubtedly deſtroy the lives of a great number of I•habitants, and utterly con•ume the Eſtates and Livelihoods of all ſort•of people whatſoever, which we being reſolved (by the helpe of Almightie God) to prevent, and avoid, ſo much as in us lies, and to that end (having given order for the raiſing of Forces in this Countie, according to the V•tes and Reſolutions concluded upon Us) We do Declare, that our intentions therein are no other than to oppoſe the invaſion of this Countie, and the ſpoile thereof, by the ſaid Forces raiſ•d by Sir Marmaduke Langdale and his adherents; and that ſuch forces as ſhall thus be raiſed by us ſhall neither be drawn out of the bounds of this Countie without their own conſents, nor ſhall be longer continued in Armes then untill the Countrie ſhall be ſecured from the danger now threatned, which we thought neceſſarie to publiſh in this manner to all perſons well-affected to the Peace and welfarre of the Countie, and the maintenance of the Proteſtant Religion, to incourage them cheerefullie to riſe, and take up Armes in this ſo juſt and nec•ſſarie Defence of themſelves, wherein we cannot doubt to finde their complyance with Us; and to this extraordinarie way we are at this inſtant neceſſitated, becauſe we hea•that a part of•he Parliaments Army, that were lately ingaged in ſuppreſſing the like attempts of the Enemie in Wales, are ſtill imployed4 in ſe•ling of the peace of thoſe parts, though part of that Army be now alſo upon their March this way for our Protection, yet the danger of the Countrey is ſo eminent, and at hand, as it requires all mens active readineſſe to defend it, and we doubt not that every one doing his duty therein, God will bleſſe our endeavours.
THe Laws of Nature are univerſal and perpetuall, among which, that of ſelf preſervation is one, ye have Declared as much, judge if it be not; Wee have taken up Armes to defend our ſelves, and providence hath now bleſt us with a power to do it, which we cannot relinquiſh but with the forfeiture of our reaſon, and honour. We invade not your right, but ſeeke to ſecure our own, and ſo to do, is neither tumult nor rebellion. You are pleaſed to hold out conditions of uncertaine mercy to the people, and withall a fi•t menaſſie of an exemplary and poſſitive proſecution upon the principles. To this I muſt aſſure you (Sr.) it is but one ſoule which informes this body, and we are determined to ſtand, or fall together being rendered uncapable of any feare, ſave only, of relapſing into our former ſlavery; Wee need no other arguments4〈1 page duplicate〉5〈1 page duplicate〉6(then what the faire mannage of this buſines affords) to teſtify our love to peace, if your ſelfe ſtand ſo inclined. Alſo be pleaſed rather to make this County a friend then an enemy, ar to the Petition, wee hope it will be ſeaſonably conſidered of,
Jmprimatur
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A82165)
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